this is the moment we have all been dreading. Higher taxes, more waste, more state, more bureaucracy, lower spending power.

If the people of Wales vote yes then they need to realise our share of income tax and stamp duty is much less than the average. The government will raise taxes to compensate (as that is the natural thing to do if you are left wing rather than look to increase productivity). And all because of the vanity project of 60 pretend politicians in the senedd.

We need a popcorn smiley like CCMB...

Although I do agree with your sentiments Jantra!

This absurd leftist plot to give the careworn people of our bedraggled, so-called nation a say in how the public-sector raises its funds is a trojan horse for policies born of a far more sinister agenda.
Before we know it the burden of having to decide how to tax and how much to tax will weigh so heavily on the collective minds of the Welsh, that they will start questioning the very fabric of the glorious United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Her Brittanic Majesty rules through a combination off her God-given authority and the acquiescence of her grateful subjects. Cameron and Clegg should remember that Traitors Gate is two miles downstream from the Palace of Westminster. Devolving land tax and stamp duty to Wales is sedition; devolving income tax would be treason.

Each day I see the Welshman at work and play. Well play, anyway as the feckless gene runs through the Welsh like the Manchester ship canal through Irlam. These are limited people, for God's sake! Give them a pick and a shovel and tell them to dig and they muddle through. But try explaining tax codes, regressive vs progressive tax or flat-rate tax to them and their gaze clouds over.

The Welsh need to be ruled by the English and the sooner that europhiles like Cameron and Clegg realise that, the sooner we can plod on in our moribund little corner of the world, secure in the knowledge that our English overlords are looking out for our best interests.

God Save The Queen.

I'm not sure about this pick and mix devolution. Of course local councils have been encouraged to borrow money to build social housing, but how would it work if the Welsh Government had its own borrowing powers? Many US states have gone bankrupt, would Westminster bail it out? If so, what would be the incentive to behave responsibly. I'm rather uneasy about this sort of pick n' mix devolution. What does it mean for the future of England and where does the UK end up with all this lopsided devolution for Scotland, Wales and NI?

I don't think he's really a Little Englander Jantra. I think he's mocking your view of the welsh not being able to look after themselves (perhaps you got this). Whether he's a little Welshman I don't know.

Interesting to note that my sources from England are interpreting this story rather differently. They think it's really about making a point to the Scots, that Westminster is reasonable, there can be further devolution within the UK and so don't bother voting for independence. Wales is but a pawn in the great game of Union preservation.

Having semi autonomous regions within the UK allowed to borrow is a disaster.
Look what happened in Spain.

http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/spains-bankrupt-catalonia-region.html



This is what my taxes are being spent on. Sits on my road in the morning with the engine running, with smartly dressed chauffeur waiting for Minister X to come out of his house!


Yearly cost of ministerial Cars in the Assembly:
2010/11
£421,469

2012/13
£392,666

From the BBC - 'Presiding Officer Rosemary Butler has repeated a call to increase the number of AMs from 60 to 80 to reflect the "increasing workload"

Increasing workload - There did not used to be an assembly and things still got done. It really is a gravy train.

The UK should be federalised with Mon-Tuesday spent in Westminster on UK issues and rest of the time back in Wales or Scotland or North West England dealing with more regional/national issues. One set of politicians is enough.

Zach, look what autonomy and looming independence has done for the Basque country:

"the Basque Autonomous Community ranks first in Spain in terms of per capita income, with gross domestic product (GDP) per capita being 40% higher than that of the European Union and 33.8% higher than Spain's average in 2010, at €31,314"

Source, Wikipedia.

Devolution in Spain is well established. Their economic problems are largely due to the expansion of credit which created their horrendous housing bubble.

Do you not think the the rise in GDP with the autonomous regions in Spain and their unsustainable debt are connected?
A lot of Spain's rise in GDP was due to the "Inputed Rent Figure" i.e. pretend you rent your home out, now what would the rental figure be? Great lets add that to the country's GDP!
One reason why the UK GDP is rising while the balance of payment gets ever worse.

Devolution and borrowing would be analogous to parents giving out credits cards to all the family and telling them to go easy.
Bound to lead the tears before bedtime.

I still do not think there is much of a public ground swell for devolution in Wales.
It is driven by the those who have something to gain, namely the politician, media, and the hangers on.

Original Referendum in 1997 50% turnout, 50% in Favour = 25% of the people want it.

Referendum in 2011 36% turnout, 63% in Favour = 23% of the people now want it. (but the media spin was a resounding vote in favour)

I remember writing to the electoral commission asking why we could not a 3 way referendum in 2011?
i.e. same powers, more powers, less powers.

I was told democracy does not work that way!!